No running in the hall...

[shadowbloodmoon]

Maybe I missed this specific rule somewhere in my somewhat cursory reading of all the rule books, but as I read today's RotG at Wizard's site I happened upon this little tidbit about movement:

Creatures that lack Constitution scores cannot run.

Now my favorite undead just happens to be vampires. Last I checked, this status didn't prevent them from being able to chase down a hapless group of adventurers through the hallway and out of the window (this happened IMC).

However, vampires are undead and thus lack Constitution scores. Extrapolating from the line above, vampires cannot run.

My question is: WHAT ?!?

 

[Vrecknidj]

Houserule: undead cannot run, unless they have an Intelligence score. There you go.

Dave

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

Well vampires can hustle, but if they did any more than that, they might start to sweat and then the pale makeup might run and the eyeliner might melt and their black haircolor might come out too. Plus, it's hard to be properly angsty and morose when running. Running implies a certainty of purpose. You know you want to get somewhere and you know you want to get there soon. Running might also give you a runner's high if you ran for long enough and that would be entirely inappropriate for a vampire.

So the rule makes sense. Vampires shouldn't be able to run.

 

[Rabelais]

I agree

It's hard to pull off that Angsty yet Languid "I've been drinking Absynthe ALL EVENING" look if you've laced up the Nikes...

Really though, would you want to get your patent leather and velvet track suit dirty?

 

[Janos Audron]

What the *manually filtered* There goes my idea for a powerplant filled with commanded Ghouls who run on treadmills...

But seriously, I like the idea of undead running (and think this rule sucks). I mean, what's more frightning than someone who can run. And run. And run. Who doesn't need sleep, doesn't need food, doesn't need to rest. Every minute you spend resting / eating / doing something else than running he is gaining on you. That's the way I imagine being chased by an undead...

 

[Christian]

"Die Todten reiten schnell." (Burger, quoted in Stoker's Dracula)

Still, the idea of a vampire sprinting does seem a little odd. There's something eerie about the enemy that doesn't hurry after you, because he knows that you've got to rest sometime ... A humanish undead can hustle at 48 miles per 8 hours, or 144 miles per day. A vampire could only average about half that, or 72 miles per day, lest he be caught aboveground at sunrise. That's still plenty-the hustling vampire will catch even a horseman, eventually. The horseman can extend his life by forced marching, for a little while. But then, he'll be exhausted when the vampire finally catches up ...

 

[Hypersmurf]

But seriously, I like the idea of undead running (and think this rule sucks). I mean, what's more frightning than someone who can run. And run. And run. Who doesn't need sleep, doesn't need food, doesn't need to rest. Every minute you spend resting / eating / doing something else than running he is gaining on you. That's the way I imagine being chased by an undead...

I always liked the way Jason Vorhees did it. The kids were running; he just walked... relentlessly.

-Hyp.

 

[John Q. Mayhem]

I've spent many long hours perfecting the art of walking menacingly. sigh...I think it just comes natural to Jason.

 

[Brother MacLaren]

I always liked the way Jason Vorhees did it. The kids were running; he just walked... relentlessly.

I think a director once asked Kane Hodder to run. Mr. Hodder patiently explained that Jason does not need to run. Mr. Hodder then requested that nobody ask for an explanation of how Jason always catches up, and reinforced this request by breaking the director's assistant in half.

 

[Fieari]

If a vampire needs to go somewhere fast, he will fly, not run. Running is... undignified.

I'd let vampire spawn run though. They're already undignified.

Zombies should not be allowed to run, ever. That's part of being zombie. What they lose in speed they're supposed to make up with sheer numbers.

Skeletons... hmm... that's a tough one. I'd say they're more menecing when they march, not run. That can grant a certain amount of speed... but isn't the same as running. I think skeletons would fall apart if they ran anyway. That's the mental image I get.

Ghouls, ghosts, etc... don't run because they... umm... float. Even if they look human enough to have legs, and even if they LOOK like they're walking, they're just moving their legs out of habit.

Liches fit in with vampires. Not dignified enough.

Any kind of undead I missed? In general, I support this rule.